Château Malescasse 2014

Tasting characteristics and advice for Château Malescasse 2014

Tasting

Appearance

The color displays a deep garnet hue with ruby highlights.

Nose

Intense, the nose opens with aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry and blueberry, lifted by notes of raspberry. With aeration, nuances of toasted mocha emerge, bringing elegance and complexity. Hints of vanilla, cedar and tobacco complete the bouquet, while notes of licorice and spices add an extra dimension.

Palate

The attack on the palate is dense and concentrated, revealing a perfect balance between alcohol and acidity. The silky texture reveals tight, delicate tannins that envelop the palate with finesse. The medium-bodied wine unfolds with elegance and structure, offering fine aromatic expression. The finish stands out for its remarkable length and persistence, with an elegant return of fruity aromas accompanied by subtle woody notes.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with roasted or pan-seared duck breast. It also goes beautifully with grilled red meats such as côte de bœuf or entrecôte, as well as herb-roasted lamb with Herbes de Provence. Mushroom-based dishes—particularly porcini, tournedos with morels or a wild mushroom risotto—also make excellent pairings. For cheese, opt for Saint-Nectaire or well-aged Comté.

Serving and cellaring

Château Malescasse 2014 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 17 and 18°C. Decanting for about an hour before serving helps soften the tannins and encourage aromatic expression. This wine can be enjoyed now, while also offering cellaring potential through around 2034, with an optimal drinking window between around 2021 and 2025.

An elegant, structured Haut-Médoc, born of a qualitative renaissance

The estate

Founded in 1824 in Lamarque, between Margaux and Saint-Julien, Château Malescasse lies at the heart of the Haut-Médoc, on Médoc gravel rises. The vineyard spans 40 hectares, restored to its original size following the renovation led in 1992 by Guy Tesseron and his son Alfred. Owned by the Austruy vineyards since 2012, it is now held by Philippe Austruy, who chooses to work it “as a cru classé”. The estate is recognized as Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel.

The vineyard

The Château Malescasse vineyard enjoys a privileged location in the Haut-Médoc, at the highest point of Lamarque, about thirty meters above sea level. The vines grow on Quaternary gravel and sandy soils, with a predominance of white gravels on the slopes. These Médoc gravels offer excellent drainage while retaining heat, thus promoting optimal ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon. The clay-limestone subsoil brings structure and minerality to the wine. Since 2012, more than half of the vineyard has been replanted at high density. The vines have an average age of about thirty-five years. Vineyard management favors a sustainable approach, with treatments limited to what is strictly necessary, systematic cover crops after harvest, and mechanical soil work. Hand-harvesting allows for rigorous selection of grapes at optimal ripeness.

The vintage

The year 2014 begins with a particularly wet winter, with abundant rainfall in January and February replenishing water reserves. Early budbreak in mid-March and a warm, dry April suggest a high-quality vintage. May brings cooler weather with moderate rains, followed by rapid flowering. June starts favorably, but warm, humid conditions create pressure from fungal diseases, requiring rigorous leaf thinning and green harvesting. A hailstorm hits the northern Médoc on June 8. July proves cool and wet, slowing ripening, while August remains relatively dry but cool. The second half of September transforms the vintage with ten consecutive days of warm, sunny weather, allowing full ripening. More than fifty millimeters of rain on September 17 delays the Merlot harvest. Late September and early October offer ideal conditions, with daytime temperatures around twenty-one degrees and cool nights at nine and a half degrees, preserving the freshness and acidity of the grapes.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for Château Malescasse 2014 are destemmed vertically, then gravity-fed into small wooden and concrete vats with a capacity of sixty to one hundred and ten hectoliters. The berries enter the vats whole and uncrushed. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature between twenty-six and twenty-eight degrees, with gentle, regular punch-downs. Maceration lasts three to four weeks, allowing malolactic fermentation to progress naturally. Vertical pneumatic pressing ensures delicate extraction. Malolactic fermentation is completed in 225- or 300-liter French oak barrels, 35% of which are new. Aging continues for fourteen months in French oak barrels. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration.

Grape varieties

Merlot (54 %)
Cabernet Sauvignon (36 %)
Petit Verdot (10 %)